iOS 15

What’s new in iOS 15.2 beta 2: Legacy Contacts, Find My updates, more [U: Public beta too]

Chance Miller | Nov 10 2021 - 10:19 am PT

Update: iOS 15.2 beta 2 is now rolling out to public beta testers as well.

Apple continues to make changes to iOS 15.2 with this week’s release of the second beta. The update includes new child safety features in the Messages application, tweaks to the TV application, and more. Head below for our full roundup of the new features in iOS 15.2 beta 2.

What’s new in iOS 15.2 beta 2?

Legacy Contact

Originally announced at WWDC in June as part of iOS 15, this week’s release of iOS 15 adds the new Legacy Contact feature for when you die.

Here’s how Apple describes this feature:

The Digital Legacy program allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your account and personal information in the event of your death.

You can find the new Digital Legacy feature in the Settings app and tapping your Apple ID at the top, then choosing “Password and Security,” then choose “Legacy Contact.” This is where you can “choose someone you trust to have access to the data in your account after your death.”

Apple explains that the person you designate as your Legacy Contact will be able to “access the data stored in your account after your death,” including “photos, messages, notes, files, contacts, calendar events, apps you’ve downloaded, device backups, and more.” The data will not include your iCloud Keychain data or any licensed media.

Video: iOS 15.2 beta 2 changes and features

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Communication safety

First and foremost, as we detailed earlier today, iOS 15.2 beta 2 adds new communication safety features to the Messages application. With this new feature, the Messages application will warn children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity.

When a child receives an image in the Messages app that contains nudity, the photo will be blurred. The child will then be warned and presented with resources that can help them, but they have the option to go ahead and view the image. There are also similar protections for sending an image containing nudity.

TV app updates

The Apple TV app is also getting some much-needed tweaks with iPadOS 15.2 beta 2. With today’s update, the TV app now features a dedicated sidebar that replaces the tab bar at the bottom of the screen. The sidebar makes it easy to switch between different sections of the app, including Originals, your library, and Watch Now.

Notably, the TV app also now includes a dedicated Store tab for the first time. Previously the movies and TV shows in the iTunes Store were merged with the content found in the Apple TV app.

Learn more about the new TV app design in our full coverage right here.

Hide My Email

“Hide My Email” was announced earlier this year as part of iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, and it lets users generate random email addresses to log into apps and websites as a way to protect privacy. iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 takes this feature to the next level by adding it to the Mail app.

This means that users can tap the “From” field, and choose the “Hide My Email” option directly in the Mail app. This will “create a random address that forwards to your inbox,” Apple explains.

AirTag updates

Last but not least, iOS 15.2 adds a new option to the Find My application to locate “Items That Can Track Me.” This “Unknown Items” tracker functionality scans for Find My-enabled nearby that are known. The goal here is to make it easier for users to locate items that are nearby that aren’t theirs and could be used for tracking.

The Find My app also has a new “Help Return Lost Items” button, which replaces the previous “Identify Found Item feature,” as spotted by MacRumors.